The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for dispensing a viscous liquid material onto a surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing a liquid gasket material onto a twisted, warped or displaced surface.
Automatic liquid dispensing machines are used for dispensing materials, (e.g., mastics, sealants, gaskets, adhesives, etc.) onto a surface of an object. Problems arise when trying to automatically dispense material onto a non-repeatable surface of an object, in other words, a surface that is twisted, warped or displaced. Currently available robotic devices may not be able to follow variations created by the twisting, warping or displacement.
The present invention provides an automated dispensing system for dispensing a liquid onto a non-repeatable surface of an object. The object may include any suitable object (e.g., cap, cover, radiator end tank cover, etc.), that requires a liquid material (e.g., mastic, sealant, gasket, adhesives, etc.) to be applied along an irregular dispensing path. In a first scan, a scanning apparatus of a robotic apparatus maps and determines a first contour profile, then determines the dispensing path. A dispensing apparatus of the robotic apparatus then dispenses the viscous liquid material along the dispensing path. In a second scan, the scanning system of the robotic apparatus measures and maps a height of the dispensed material. Objects not meeting an acceptable dispensed material height are rejected.